Prehistoric hunter-gatherers maintained sophisticated trade networks spanning hundreds of kilometers
Ancient seal tooth pendants discovered far from their coastal origins prove that hunter-gatherers maintained vast, complex trade networks across hundreds of kilometers at least 40,000 years before the advent of agriculture.
A seal tooth pendant analyzed by the Natural History Museum reveals that prehistoric hunter-gatherers operated sophisticated exchange networks long before the rise of sedentary farming. Because seals are restricted to specific maritime biogeographies, the discovery of their remains hundreds of kilometers inland serves as an undeniable marker of human transport and inter-tribal commerce. These durable artifacts functioned as both valuable trade goods and high-status symbols, indicating a social structure built on resource specialization.